Archive for January, 2007
Battle of Yavin…hands down coolness
So here is the concept: the Battle of Yavin (from Star Wars: A New Hope) done entirely with hands. Not “by hand” or even “hand-made”…but acted out with hands. Watch on…
Sorry, Haters (2005) – Neutral
I watched this film over the weekend and am still trying to decide about it. It could have been the film or it could have been that I started watching it after the family had already gone to bed (about 11:30pm…and for a family guy, that is getting late).
As the synopsis on Spout suggests, this film is about the "tenuous relationship between Caucasians and Muslims in post-9/11 America"…a potentially potent topic. It is a story about trust and what can happen if is it given too freely…or not at all. Although the acting in the film was first class (starring Robin Wright Penn, Abdel Kechiche and Sandra Oh) I still remain neutral on it. Why? I didn’t see the film telling a new story. It is about overt aggression (although in the guise, at least initially, of help and concern…which makes it all the more overt). I was really hoping to see something more subtle, and in that subtly, something a little more insidious…which may in the end be more representative of our current state of affairs.
Than again…maybe I was too tired when I watched it. Check it out for yourself.
Link: Sorry, Haters (2005).
Holy Crap!…I Found It!
When I was about 5 or 6 years old I received (I think for my birthday) the toys that all others since have been judged by – The Evil Knievel Stunt Set. Why was this such a great toy? Do I really need to explain this? Evel Knievel. Motorcycle. Jumps. Bendable action figure. Simulated hoop of fire. Nuf’ said? Anyway, it is now available for purchase, made from the original molds. EXTREMELY COOL! Need proof? Check out the video of this toy in action.
Now I just have to convince my 10 year old boy that this is really cooler that any X-Box 360 game.
Link: Evel Knievel Stunt Set.
Rives
I ran across Rives giving a performance at a TED Talk in NYC this past November. BRILLIANT! Check out the video and then visit his site: www.shopliftwindchimes.com
Link: Rives on TED Talks.
FuturTech 2007
If you get a chance (and are anywhere near Ann Arbor, MI) check out the FuturTech Conference at the University of Michigan, January 25-26th. I’ll be participating on the "Paying for friends: The challenge of monetizing social networks" panel. More details to come.
If there is anyone from the Spout community planning on attending or in the area, I’d love to meet you.
Link: FuturTech 2007 at Ross School of Business, Univ. of Michigan.
INDISTR
Link: INDISTR.
I spent a little time today with the brain behind new independent music site Indistr. Benjamin Gott is one of those guys that drives an almost 40-year old into a mid-life crisis. Dear God, he’s in his early-early twenties and already designed and launched a really useful concept…and is one of the creators of The Brilliance – a great little site dedicated to design, tech and anything else they find interesting. AND he’s based in Grand Rapids, MI. Looks like the talent pool here is widening.
Night at the Museum (2006) – Recommended (surprisingly)
My wife and I took our son and a buddy to this film over the holidays…and my expectations were low. Not that I’m not a Ben Stiller fan (Zoolander is hi-larious), but this seemed to be simply a brand awareness film for him…not brand defining and certainly not brand re-defining. Lot’s of actors do it (think Robin Williams…repeatedly), so I’m not going to be critical of him for that fact. It’s just that I don’t typically get excited about movies that seem mainly created as a vehicle to widen an actor’s brand into new demographics.
But I think I was wrong in thinking about Night at the Museum in these terms. Based on the book by Milan Trenc, this film is utterly charming and entertaining. The best performance? Owen Wilson as a cowboy from a diorama who feels a little impotent (his guns don’t shoot).
The Road to Guantanamo (2006) – Recommended
I finally got to catch The Road to Guantanamo last night. This docu-drama was directed by Michael Winterbottom (24 Hour Party People, Wonderland and 9 Songs) and Mat Whitecross. The film tells the story of 3 young men from England (but of Pakistani descent) who find themselves in the middle of Kondoz, Afghanistan (a Taliban stronghold) in the midst o the American attachs in 2001. As a result, they spent years in the prisons of Sheberghan and Guantanamo and were subjected to most of the now infamous interrogation techniques.
What I found most interesting about this film was the use of a wide range of story-telling elements. From reenactments to interviews to news footage, Winterbottom and Whitecross are able to capture the entirety of these men’s ordeal
…and most of the emotion behind it all.
An amazing job of filmmaking, certainly reminiscent of One Day in September…although a much more personal telling of a highly politicized story.
